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Spare Times for Oct. 16-22

A scene from a film about the British architect David Adjaye, part of the Architecture & Design Film Festival, which falls under the Archtober umbrella. See listing below.Credit
James Ewing Photography

Museums and Sites

American Museum of Natural History: ‘Countdown to Zero’ (continuing) Smallpox is the only human disease to have been eradicated, but what about Guinea worm, polio, malaria and others? This exhibition, presented in collaboration with the Carter Center, examines international efforts to control and wipe out infection. Daily from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., Central Park West and 79th Street, 212-769-5200, amnh.org.

‘Global Citizen: The Architecture of Moshe Safdie’ (through Jan. 10) This touring exhibition, a retrospective of Mr. Safdie’s career of more than 50 years, makes its way to New York with new material based on the architect’s recent work related to dense urbanism in Asia. Donald Albrecht from the Museum of the City of New York organized the material in this show, which also explores Mr. Safdie’s design philosophy that buildings should be extensions of their physical, historical and cultural contexts. National Academy Museum, 1083 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, 212-369-4880, nationalacademy.org.

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: ‘On the Line: Intrepid and the Vietnam War’ (through Sept. 1, 2016) Visitors familiar with this museum are likely well aware of its flight deck, perhaps even some of its wartime history. During the Vietnam War, the Intrepid served three tours overseas between 1966 and 1969. Now, in an exhibition set in the space where the crew lived and worked, the museum tells their stories with artifacts, film clips and photographs. Pier 86, 46th Street and 12th Avenue, Clinton, 877-957-7447, intrepidmuseum.org.

Museum of Chinese in America: ‘Sub Urbanisms: Casino Urbanization, Chinatowns and the Contested American Landscape’ (through January) Stephen Fan, an architecture professor and curator, examines the trend of Chinese casino workers in Connecticut converting suburban homes into multi-family communities. This exhibition is both creative and historical; it takes the present to imagine the future of housing design while looking back on the events that created the trend of suburban migration. 215 Centre Street, between Howard and Grand Streets, Lower Manhattan, 212-619-4785, mocanyc.org.

Museum of the Moving Image: ‘How Cats Took Over the Internet’ (through January) Even people who hate cats can’t easily get through an hour of browsing online without coming across some kind of feline clickbait. This exhibition takes a critical look at and tells the story of how we, as a society, got to this point. Yes, there are cat GIFs. 35th Avenue at 37th Street, Astoria, Queens, 718-784-0077, movingimage.us.

National Museum of the American Indian: ‘Meryl McMaster: Second Self’ (through Dec. 11) Meryl McMaster, an artist from Canada and a Plains Cree member of the Siksika Nation, shows her “Second Self” photography series, which uses portraiture to explore the complex ways in which identity is constructed. 1 Bowling Green, Lower Manhattan, 212-514-3700, nmai.si.edu; free.

New-York Historical Society: ‘Superheroes in Gotham’ (through Feb. 21) New York is safe as long as its long roster of comic-book heroes stick around. It’s been this way for nearly a century as these characters have defended the city in books, TV shows, movies, video games — even the Broadway stage. New-York Historical Society’s latest exhibition tells the story of how super heroes became a cultural staple for all ages and media. 170 Central Park West, at 77th Street, 212-873-3400, nyhistory.org.

New York Transit Museum: ‘Bringing Back the City’ (ongoing) This new exhibition comes three years after Hurricane Sandy took a swipe at the city’s infrastructure. But what of the people who put the pieces back together? “Bringing Back the City” tells the stories of everyday services — like electricity and mass transit — that become extraordinary in times of crisis. Boerum Place, at Schermerhorn Street, Downtown Brooklyn, 718-694-1600, bringingbackthecity.com.

New York Transit Museum Grand Central Terminal Gallery Annex: ‘New York’s Transportation Landmarks’ (through Nov. 1) It’s been 50 years since New York passed its Landmarks Law, which covers over 30,000 buildings and structures around the city. To celebrate the anniversary, the New York Transit Museum has created an exhibition that explores the history of development, use and even rescue of these landmarks. More information: 212-878-0106, web.mta.info/mta/museum.

New York Transit Museum: ‘Spanning the Narrows: The Verrazano Bridge at 50’ (closes on Sunday) Photographs, maps, drawings, models and other archival materials related to the construction of the bridge (including correspondence from Robert Moses, who oversaw the project) are part of this exhibition commemorating its 50th anniversary. Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn Heights, 718-694-1600, mta.info/mta/museum.

‘Sea Level: Five Boroughs at Water’s Edge’ (through December) In its first pop-up exhibition for the Seaport Culture District, the American Institute of Architects presents a water’s eye view of the city through photos by Elizabeth Felicella and accompanying essays by Robert Sullivan. The panoramic view of New York starts at New York Harbor and makes its way along the East River, showing the shore of each borough along the way. Center @ the Seaport, 181 Front Street, South Street Seaport, Lower Manhattan, 212-683-0023, cfa.aiany.org.

‘Webtoon’ (through Oct. 29) This exhibition highlights the culture of Korean webtoons — comics specifically made for the internet. In addition to displaying the comics, this show will also take a look at the media and commercial products that have been inspired by popular webtoons. Korean Cultural Service New York, Gallery Korea, 460 Park Avenue, at 57th Street, Manhattan, 212-759-9550, koreanculture.org.

Architecture and Design Film Festival (Friday through Sunday) The lineup for this festival may seem niche, but the subject matter affects out daily lives: housing, preservation, the environment. Highlights include a virtual reality lounge, a Rizzoli pop-up bookstore and screening of films with subjects like the Danish architect Bjarke Ingels’s “8 House” building in Copenhagen. At various times, Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas 9, 260 West 23rd Street, Chelsea; more information is at adfilmfest.com.

Arthur Miller Centennial (Thursday) This great American playwright was born on 100 years ago on Oct. 17. To celebrate, Symphony Space is hosting an evening that blends film clips and conversation centered on his masterpiece “Death of a Salesman.” Guests include Brian Dennehy, Tony Kushner and Laurie Kennedy — whose father, Arthur Kennedy, won a Tony Award for the role of Biff in the play’s original Broadway run. Jack Doulin, the casting director at New York Theater Workshop, will lead the discussion. At 7:30 p.m., 2537 Broadway, at 95th Street, 212-864-5400, symphonyspace.org; sold out, but a waiting list is available.

‘Back to the Future’ in Concert (Friday) In celebration of the 30th anniversary of “Back to the Future,” Doc himself, Christopher Lloyd, will be in attendance of this screening with live musical accompaniment. David Newman leads the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra through Alan Silvestri’s film score, with 20 minutes of new music written for this performance. At 8 p.m., Radio City Music Hall, 866-858-0008, radiocity.com.

Chelsea Film Festival (Friday through Sunday) Risk-takers and emerging storytellers are given a chance to screen their documentaries and fiction films at this little festival, back for its third year, with a theme of “global issues.” The screenings, talks and parties will be held at multiple venues and times of day; more information is at chelseafilm.org.

Grub Street Food Festival (Sunday) Grub Street, the food arm of New York Magazine, partners with the Hester Street Fair for its annual celebration of local restaurants. Food vendors are the stars, though the event also includes a beer garden, games and a tailgate zone for Sunday football. Among the participants are Meat Hook Sandwich, Melt Bakery and the ever-popular Roberta’s pizza. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Hester Street, at Essex Street, Lower East Side, hesterstreetfair.com.

Halloween Harvest (Saturday and Sunday, through Nov. 1) For the next six weekends, Halloween is taking over Luna Park’s activities, games and rides. For example, Jack’s Pumpkin Shack will give visitors a chance to guess the weight of a giant pumpkin, and Camp Luna will be a s’mores-making station. More information is at lunaparknyc.com. 1000 Surf Avenue, Coney Island, Brooklyn, 718-373-5862.

Kronos Quartet: ‘Black Angels’ (Tuesday) The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum plays host to the Kronos Quartet, the Grammy Award-winning group that specializes in contemporary music. They’ll perform a piece they’ve recorded before: George Crumb’s “Black Angels,” which was inspired by the Vietnam War. A discussion will follow with the music professor Steven Bruns and John Schaefer, host of WNYC’s “Soundcheck.” At 7:30 p.m., Pier 86, 46th Street and 12th Avenue, Clinton, 877-957-7447, intrepidmuseum.org.

Super Sábado Día de los Muertos (Saturday) El Museo del Barrio celebrates Mexico’s holiday to remember friends and family who have died. It’s hardly grim, though: The festivities include art-making, dance and live music. At noon, visitors can create their own offering to people they want to commemorate at the traditional community altar. Throughout the event, the museum’s exhibitions will be open for viewing . From noon to 5 p.m., 1230 Fifth Avenue, at 104th Street, East Harlem, 212-831-7272, elmuseo.org; free.

Videology Presents Movie Trivia (Tuesday) Videology, the Brooklyn bar and cinema, hosts a free film-themed trivia contest every week. The game varies; you will want to know theme songs, facts, quotations (especially ones from Nicolas Cage) and more. The winning team receives a free round of drinks, and there are chances to win drinks each round. At 8:30 p.m., 308 Bedford Avenue, at South First Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-782-3468, videologybarandcinema.com.

Spoken Word

‘Bringing Back the City: Stories from the Inside’ (Tuesday) As part of programming for its exhibition “Bringing Back the City: Mass Transit Responds to Crisis,” the New York Transit Museum presents this discussion about how the city’s infrastructure leaders dealt with moments like Hurricane Sandy and Sept. 11. Participants include Herbert Lambert, former chief transportation officer and general superintendent of the Rail Control Center; Connie Crawford, former senior vice president and chief engineer at New York City Transit; and Robert Lobenstein, former general superintendent of power for N.Y.C.T. At 6:30 p.m., Boerum Place, at Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn Heights, 718-694-1600, web.mta.info/museum.

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Mark Doty and Bill T. Jones (Monday) This fall, New York Public Library is partnering with the Academy of American Poets for a series of talks that pair poets with other creative minds. This latest installment brings together the National Book Award-winning poet Mark Doty and the prolific choreographer Bill T. Jones to discuss how poetry can and does engage different art forms. At 7 p.m., Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 917-275-6975, nypl.org/locations/schwarzman.

Gloria and Emilio Estefan in Conversation With Rita Moreno (Monday) The music stars Gloria and Emilio Estefan are taking their life stories to the stage in the Broadway-bound musical “On Your Feet!” Here they’ll discuss their 36-year marriage and musical relationship in a talk with Ms. Moreno, whose new album, “Una Vez Mas,” was produced by Mr. Estefan. At 7:30 p.m., 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue, 212-415-5500, 92y.org.

Garth Risk Hallberg (Friday) “No one can say it isn’t ambitious, and exceptionally so for a first novel,” Frank Rich wrote of Mr. Hallberg’s “City on Fire” in The New York Times Book Review. The author is on tour to discuss his much-hyped sprawling slice of New York life in the 1970s, with this talk as one of his first stops. At 7 p.m., Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, at 12th Street, 212-473-1452, strandbooks.com.

‘Inside the Four Seasons and other New York Landmark Interiors’ (Tuesday) This discussion, hosted by the Museum of the City of New York, takes a look at what the eye can’t see inside of some of the city’s major sites. Judith Gura, Kate Wood and Larry Lederman — the three panelists and authors of “Interior Landmarks: Treasures of New York” — will share little-known stories about places like City Hall and Loew’s Paradise Theater in the Bronx. Presented in conjunction with the museum’s exhibition “Saving Place: 50 Years of New York City Landmarks,” on view through Jan. 3. A book signing will follow. At 6:30 p.m., Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, 212-534-1672, mcny.org.

‘La Jalousie: The Truth About Love, Mistrust and Suspicious Minds’ (Wednesday) Elaine Sciolino, a writer for The New York Times, has an entire book dedicated to exploring how seduction pervades much of French culture. So it comes as no surprise that the French Institute Alliance Française is hosting a series of talks called “The Art of Sex & Seduction” The latest installment is this discussion about the history of jealousy in art and pop culture, and how the emotion could be channeled into something healthier. Panelists include the author Neil Strauss, the psychotherapist Gail Saltz and the classics professor Peter Toohey; Erica Lumière, who organized the series, will moderate. At 7 p.m., Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street, Manhattan, 800-982-2787, fiaf.org.

Salman Rushdie (Sunday) Mr. Rushdie, one of the most famous living authors, discusses his latest novel, “Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights.” The title is a nod to Scheherazade, and its complex plot delivers on the allusion in a surreal story that follows a wide cast of characters in the aftermath of a storm in New York. At 12:30 p.m., Dweck Center, Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza at Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway, Prospect Park, 718-230-2198, brooklynpubliclibrary.org/dweck.

Selected Shorts: 100 Years of ‘The Best American Short Stories’ (Wednesday) It’s been 100 years since the first installment in the short fiction anthology “The Best American Short Stories” was published. Each year it comes out, with the name of the guest editor as appreciated and anticipated as the stories included. This year’s collection, edited by Lorrie Moore, celebrates the past century of short stories. The actress Jane Kaczmarek hosts an evening of readings from the book with other actors, including Liev Schreiber. At 7:30 p.m., Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, at 95th Street, 212-864-5400, symphonyspace.org.

Understanding Election 2016 (Tuesday) The journalist Peter Beinart hosts this talk about the upcoming election and presidential politics. His guests are Joy-Ann Reid, the MSNBC correspondent and author of “Fracture: Barack Obama, the Clintons, and the Racial Divide,” and Reihan Salam, the Slate columnist and executive editor of National Review. At 7 p.m., Graduate Center, Elebash Theater, CUNY, 365 Fifth Avenue, at 34th Street, Manhattan, 212-817-8215, gc.cuny.edu/Public-Programming/GC-Keynote-Events; free, though reservations are required.

Walking Tours

Long Island City Tours: Queens Cool Uncovered (Sunday) The idea behind this tour is that Queens is due for more attention, starting with Long Island City. The tour includes highlights of the neighborhood’s history and arts scene, with stops at galleries and crafts and food vendors. The meeting location is given at registration. At 2:30 p.m., 212-209-3370, bqetours.com.

Archtober Tours (through Oct. 31) With museum exhibitions, discussions and even a film festival, New York’s annual Archtober celebration brings together a diverse cast of participants to highlight the roles that architecture and design play in everyday life.

And while much of the programming caters to those in the industry, a number of tours can give wider audiences a new take on the buildings and locations that surround them, including the World Trade Center site and Andrew Berman’s SculptureCenter expansion. There’s even a boat tour: Classic Harbor Line hosts a nearly three-hour outing around Manhattan to see the city’s landmarks from the water. Trips are available nearly every day, at various times; more information and tickets are at sail-nyc.com/architecture.

Other tours include the American Institute of Architects’ walk in Midtown East on Saturday, featuring sites such as the Chrysler Building, Kevin Roche’s Ford Foundation Building and United Nations Plaza. The tour meets at 10:30 a.m. at Park Avenue and 42nd Street; R.S.V.P. at cfa.aiany.org or 212-683-0023. And at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the Judd Foundation will host a talk and tour of its award-winning restored cast-iron facade at 101 Spring Street in SoHo. Registration is required: 212-219-2747; juddfoundation.org. More information about Archtober is at archtober.org/calendar.

Bryant Park Public Tours (Wednesday) Bryant Park hasn’t always been the clean, open space it is today. This tour provides some insights on its history, including its darker days as a “needle park” in the 1970s, as well as its award-winning design and maintenance efforts. The tour meets at the fountain at 41st Street at Avenue of the Americas. Registration is required. At 11 a.m., Bryant Park, 212-768-4242, bryantpark.org.

Central Park (Wednesday) Central Park’s green-leafed days are numbered. This walking tour — which stops at places like the Bethesda Terrace, Belvedere Castle and the Ramble — could be a good chance to explore the park before its welcoming lawns like Sheep Meadow say goodbye until the spring. History will also figure heavily into discussions; the park is more than 150 years old, after all. The tour meets at 11 a.m. at Central Park West between 66th and 67th Streets, Upper West Side, 888-606-9255, bigonion.com.

Edgar Allan Poe and His Ghostly Neighbors of Greenwich Village (through Oct. 30) Poe is the spooky name to peg this tour to ghosts and Halloween, but his ghostly neighbors include major American figures like Eleanor Roosevelt and Aaron Burr. Of course, several of Poe’s haunts will also be stops along the way. The tour meets at 85 West Third Street, at Sullivan Street, in Greenwich Village. Daily at 7:30 p.m. and also at 9:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, 646-493-7092, ghostsofny.com.

Flatiron District Walking Tour (Sunday) This free tour meets at 11 a.m. on the southwest corner of Madison Square Park, at 23rd Street and Broadway, in front of the William Seward statue. Sponsored by the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership; discoverflatiron.org.

Gay and Lesbian Gallery Tour (Saturday) This trip to Chelsea’s gallery district stops at seven shows and includes discussions with two of the artists on view: Richard Haines, known for his nude portraits of men in Bushwick, Brooklyn; and Elektra KB, whose assemblages and videos depict the lives of transgender migrants in Berlin. The tour meets at 1 p.m. at 526 West 26th Street, Chelsea. Tickets and information: 212-946-1548, nygallerytours.com.

History of Wall Street Tour (weekdays) Stops on this tour, led by Wall Street Walks, include the New York Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, the Wall Street Bull, and ground zero and the Sept. 11 memorial. The tours last 90 minutes and begin at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. (Also at 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.) More details: wallstreetwalks.com.

Save the Village (Tuesday) Last year the Steven Kasher Gallery in Chelsea put on an exhibition with the photography of Fred W. McDarrah, who documented the changing scene of Greenwich Village since the 1960s. Now, the spirit of that show has taken the form of this walking tour, which includes stops at the places McDarrah captured on film: locales like Washington Square Park and the Stonewall Inn. At 10 a.m.; the tour meets at Christopher Park, Stonewall Place, at Seventh Avenue, West Village, savethevillagetours.com.

Union Square: Crossroads of New York (Saturday) Sponsored by the Union Square Partnership, this free year-round tour focuses on the area’s political and social histories. The walk, led by guides from Big Onion Walking Tours, meets at 2 p.m. by the statue of Lincoln in Union Square Park, near the 16th Street transverse. 212-517-1826, unionsquarenyc.org.

Information on events for possible inclusion in Spare Times should be sent to weekend@nytimes.com by Friday at 5 p.m. for publication that week. Longer versions of Around Town and For Children listings are in a searchable guide at nytimes.com/events.